APC panel recommends Timi Frank’s expulsion

The Committee set up by the All Progressives Congress to consider a petition filed by Mr. Aniekan Akpabio against the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Timi Frank, has recommended for his expulsion from the party.

This recommendation was part of the five-member panel’s report submitted to the APC National Vice Chairman (South South), Hilliard Eta at the party’s National Secretariat, in Abuja, on Thursday.

The Solomon Edoja-led committee which was set up by the party’s South South zonal National Vice Chairman in October, received testimony from the petitioner but could not hear from the respondent who refused to honour the panel’s invitations.

The panel’s recommendation partly read, “… Since the committee is not a Father Christmas, it has no choice than to rely on the prima facie evidence tendered by the petitioner.

“Consequent upon which, the committee now recommends as follows; that Timi Frank be suspended from the party forthwith in line with Article 21 D (f); the zonal executive committee should recommend to the NEC for the expulsion of Timi Frank from the party in line with Article 21 (D) (h) (ii) and (iii).”

Eta, had while receiving the report, said he was disappointed that the respondent did not take advantage of several opportunities offered him to state his case.

He also said he was personally pained that he was receiving a report about an anti-party activity of a party member from his zone.

He said, “Our people (from the South South) are seen as very responsible and matured citizens of this country. It is not a thing of joy for me to do what I am doing today.

“Haven said so, without me having to go through the report, as our constitution demands, I will also present this report to the zonal executive committee of the party as provided for in our constitution.

“They will confirm, affirm or repudiate the work of this committee and transmit same to the highest decision making body of our party.”

According to him, in the politics of Nigeria, everybody knows the people of the South South are loyal to political parties which they chose to belong to.

He explained that as part of his duty to the party and in line with the party’s constitution, he will be presenting the committee’s report to the zonal executive committee which will hold an emergency meeting on Friday.